Speaker Karu Jayasuriya informed Parliament today that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had taken up the position of Opposition Leader. 

The Speaker said anyone who would want to take issue with the appointment could seek a clarification from the judiciary.

When the matter was taken up at the party leaders meeting last week, the Speaker expressed the same views. 

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) raised issues over Rajapaksa's appointment at the party leaders meeting last week. 

They argued that Rajapaksa had no right to take up the post of Opposition Leader as he longer represents the party from which he was elected to Parliament.